Tales from the No Name Bar
by Max Fern 4ever Mulderette
Summary: Welcome to the No Name Bar. Deeks' bar has become a haven for the team. Starting with "Better Angeles" these will be mostly post-ep stories. Hope you enjoy our first collaboration. Tell your friends Mulderette and MaxandFern4ever have joined forces for good!
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome to the Deeks' No Name Bar. I'm Max and with Muderette we will be your hosts. We're not sure what this will be but we hope you will enjoy it. Thanks to Mulderette for saying yes and for our friends for not telling us to not do it. Enjoy!**_

Better Angels

* * *

"Helluva day," Sam stated as he drove in the directions of Deeks' bar.

"I don't even know how Kens did what she did," Callen stated, his eyes on the passing scenery outside as he thought about how one's life could be gone in the blink of an eye. It was a scary thought. He didn't envy the way David Sarraf had died. It was too slow and drawn out for him. When his time came, he wanted it to be quick. Ideally, he wouldn't even know what had happened. He forced away the negative thoughts as he realized Sam was talking and turned his attention back to his partner.

"She's a strong woman, G," Sam said. "Always has been."

"I know," Callen said, "Still couldn't have been easy though…"

"No," Sam said, nodding in agreement. "I'm sure it wasn't." He pulled the Challenger up in front of the bar.

"You want to come in for a bit?" Callen asked.

"To your apartment or the bar?"

"What do you think?" Callen asked with a smirk. "I'll buy you a beer."

So, do you actually pay for beers here, G?" Sam asked with a grin as they headed into the bar.

Callen glared at his partner, "Are you implying that I steal drinks? If I'm offered a drink, I'll take it, but if I'm just stopping by, I pay for my drinks. If I come home late and the bar is empty, I'll always leave money if I decide to have a drink."

"Whoa, buddy...I was kidding," Sam said.

Callen sighed, looking sheepish. "So...what should we say to Deeks' mom?" he asked as they walked over to the bar. "I don't want to upset her."

"You know her better than I do," Sam said. "Do what you think is right."

"Well, I know I'm not telling her that Deeks almost got killed today," Callen stated. "That would not be good."

"No, that wouldn't be good," Sam agreed.

"What wouldn't be good? Roberta asked as she walked over to the bar. "Tough day at the office?"

Callen looked at Sam and then "carefully" recounted their day concentrating more on Kensi's day than her son's. Roberta stood between the two agents and just listened. She was learning to be better about that. Roberta came to realize that this bar was not only her son's future but was a refuge for his team. Which was typical. Martin was a protector, always had been. He had protected her and now Kensi and by extension this team. She patted Callen on the shoulder. "I know just what to do." Roberta excused herself and went back to the kitchen.

Callen and Sam sat quietly chatting and a short time later, Roberta came back carrying two plates. She carefully placed them in front of the partners.

"You didn't have to do that," Sam said, giving her a grateful smile.

"Don't be silly," Roberta said. "No more trouble to feed a couple more people."

"Thanks," Callen said as he hungrily dug into the meal.

* * *

A very tired Deeks and Kensi finally made their way to the bar. Deeks talked Kensi into going for no other reason than his mom texted him and said she had cooked dinner for them. He convinced her that a hot meal, and a glass of wine would help them unwind and maybe help forget about how horrible the day was for just a bit, and then they could go home to bed. Kensi just kept nodding numbly and allowed her partner to take care of her.

Roberta brought two plates and placed them in front of her son and practically daughter-in-law. She then pulled Kensi into a tight hug, rubbing her back, no words needed. Kensi melted into Roberta's arms. Deeks watched as his mother did what any mother would do and loved her for it. She then turned to her son and put her arms around him, kissed his head and again no words. Sometimes they just weren't necessary.

When conversation finally started it wasn't about the day but about them. It was if they needed to affirm the love they shared for each other. They were family and knew each other well. "Remember when" were followed by tales of cases past. Tales told out of school were always a favorite and were just what was needed. Roberta stayed in the shadows and listened to this part of her son's life that she had missed. She understood why, because her son was so protective of people. Especially the ones he held close to him. But it was nice to see and hear the camaraderie.

"I guess I'm going to head out," Sam said, after a while, deciding to leave Kensi and Deeks give them a bit of alone time.

Callen took a cue from his partner and stood up. "I'll walk you out. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Have a good night."

As much as Roberta wanted to stay and talk to them about what had happened today she was startled by the emotional upset that Kensi seemed to in. She had always admired her strength and knew that was what attracted her Martin. Kensi gave as good as got and was the soulmate her son deserved. But this was something else. She watched as her son quietly talked to his love. Gentle touches, a little teasing and slowly Kensi started to relax. She decided that that three was a crowd tonight, they will talk another time. Roberta quietly approached them.

"I'm going say good night if that's okay by you Martin? Can you lock up?"

"Sure Mama, thanks for dinner it was perfect." Deeks reached out to hug his mother tight and placed a kiss on her cheek. She then leaned over to Kensi.

"Good night sweetie. Love you both." Roberta hugged Kensi tight and kissed her head.

"Thanks for dinner Bertie. Love you too." She then kissed her check and watched as she headed out the door.

Deeks had watched as Kensi slowly lightened up. She had eaten the dinner his mom prepared, all of it, and had one glass of wine down and was nursing a second. He will never stop being amazed by her tenacity and strength. It was ironic that today they seemed to swap their partnership dynamic. He was usually the emotional one, Kensi all action. But today, Kensi was the emotional support to David and he was chasing the bad guys. But that was the beauty of their partnership. They were two halves of a whole that could be interchanged as the need fit.

But he also sensed a change in his fiancée. Kensi knew Deeks had been slowly working on an exit strategy. The fight in the garage before the Mexico debacle reaffirmed the gap between them. But David's dying words to her reminded her of the very words she spoke to Deeks when she proposed to him. She had forgotten that she knew time was fleeting. Her accident should have solidified those thoughts but instead, she panicked and reverted back to "Bad-ass Blye" and pushed through her rehab. But there was a cost. She had pushed Deeks away for a time and it took some time for them to get their footing back until the argument in the garage and once again, the partners were at odds.

The Kensi that threw herself into his arms, was different. She held onto him as if she was drowning and that actually frightened him. Where was his fierce warrioress? Deeks held her tight and gave her all the comfort he could but he sensed that a change had happened and if it was the change he hoped it was, he was heartened that maybe there was a light at the end of their tunnel. They would get out together and start their forever.

They loved each other and in the end that was what mattered.


	2. Chapter 2 To Live and Die in Mexico

**_Thanks to all who found our little story. Thanks to Mulderette for hanging in this with me. We hope you enjoy this next bit._**

* * *

To Live and Die in Mexico - post episode - Getting the band back together

* * *

" _Is this team capable of continuing on without Henrietta Lange?"_

Admiral Kilbride's words were still haunting Callen. He had said the team was capable of continuing on, had been sure at the time he'd said it, but the more he thought about it, the more his mind was filled with doubts. There had been very little talk between the team members after Mexico, about all that had happened. At least not between him and any of the team, not even Sam. Of course,he was sure that Kensi and Deeks had talked about it. They were practically married, after all, but that didn't help him to get into the true mindset of his team. He knew if Hetty was here she would have gotten to the bottom of how everyone was really doing with all that had happened to them. He also wondered how badly the team was feeling her absence. He himself, was feeling it, but was able to put it into the back of his mind. It was something he'd developed the ability to do over the years. It was the only way he'd been able to survive certain things that had happened in his life. Even if he wasn't particularly prone to those kinds of discussions, as team leader, talking to the team was something he needed to do. He and Sam were heading over to Deeks' bar to help with some of the work there. He supposed it was as good a time as any to talk.

* * *

Deeks opened the back door to the bar, ushered Monty in and followed the hallway through to the main area. He looked around and sighed. He had lost a couple of weeks of work due to the trip to Mexico and his subsequent injuries. Deeks was happy finally being able to move around, bend over, etc without the world spinning. Add to that, he and Kensi were still re-connecting after their "discussion" in the garage. Both have been a bit clingy with each other. Kensi never wanting to be too far from him. While on the surface, no complaints from him, he knew his partner well enough to know that she had been shaken to her core. So he would gently prod her for various thoughts and did his best to reassure her that he very much wanted to marry her and they continued to make plans towards that end. He was brought out of his thoughts by Monty scampering towards the back door.

"Hey Monty!" Monty barked in greeting and then ran back towards Deeks to announce the visitors. Sam and Callen approached Deeks and various forms of handshakes and pats on the back were exchanged. Sam was looking at the bar that he had worked on checking the varnish.

"Is this the first time you've been here?" Deeks just nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"I can finally move around without losing my balance. The dizziness is gone."

Callen couldn't resist. "Deeks, you've been dizzy since the day I met you. How would you know the difference?"

Deeks saw the smirk on the team leader's face and just shrugged. Callen glanced at Sam and was not surprised when Sam gave him the same look back. Callen set Deeks up for a classic comeback and got nothing. Callen sighed. He realized that the team needs to get together and talk. Painful or not, it needed to happen and this just might be the place to have it happen. He would talk to Sam later about the logistics to set it up. In the meantime there was work that needed to be done.

"So Deeks what are we going to work on today?"

"Whatever it is, no heavy lifting for you, G," Sam interjected.

Callen rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Sam? You're not my mother."

"No, but I am your partner and your best friend. You broke your back, G. I repeat, no heavy lifting."

"Fine," Callen grumbled. It wasn't like he had planned to do any heavy lifting, but he didn't like being treated like some kind of an invalid, nor did he like being told what to do. Sam certainly hadn't listened to him before they had gone to Mexico. Then again, if he had listened, Callen knew he most certainly would be dead. He hadn't even really properly thanked Sam for what he had done for him. They had mostly been avoiding any talk about what had happened, just focusing on their physical recovery and ignoring anything to do with mental recovery. It just seemed easier that way. But he knew that easier didn't always mean better.

Callen looked at Deeks expectantly and Deeks told them what needed to be done. Sam was doing more of the heavy lifting type stuff while Callen was delegated to painting and organizing. It made him wonder if Sam had talked to Deeks beforehand. In any case, he knew he was better off not trying to lift. The next thing he needed was any type of setback. After working for a couple of hours, Callen decided to take the bull by the horns. "Hey guys, why don't I order some pizzas for lunch. We can take a break and talk about some stuff…"

They decided what to get and the food was delivered a short time later. The boys had made short work of the pizza and the beers Deeks supplied and in spite of his protest, Monty did snag a few pieces of crust from Callen. The friends then settled into their chairs to allow their lunch to settle. Deeks broke the silence.

"So what have I missed?" Deeks and Kensi had been away from OPS as he was healing and Kensi wasn't feeling the need to go in. It was actually weird that the two hadn't heard from Hetty or Mosley for that matter. Deeks still wasn't sure he still had a job. And even though he was disappointed in how the team reacted, or didn't react, to his firing, life was too short to hang on to it. He needed to move on.

Callen decided the only way to get the team back on track was to not hide anything. He shared with both men his conversation with Admiral Kilbride. "Both Hetty and Mosley are in the wind. I've tried to contact Hetty and she is not answering. As for Mosley, if I never see that woman again, I will have lived a full life. And Deeks, as far as I'm concerned, you are still a part of the team. Nell has found no paperwork that states otherwise. But, I need you and Kensi back. I get a sense from Kilbride that we will be under a microscope, but that's all I could get from him."

Callen decided not to share the part that Kilbride was sent to break up the team. There was enough pressure on them. No need to pile on.

Sam was surprised that Callen hadn't shared his conversation with him privately but kept that to himself. He looked to the detective. "Are you and Kensi okay?"

"We're fine."

"Fine. After all these years, that word never means you're fine. What's going on?"

Deeks knew the one person he couldn't hide relationship "issues" from was Sam. He lived it with Michelle. They had shared many wonderful years together. Now he and Kensi were trying to navigate those same waters. Deeks sighed. "We had a bit of an argument right before we left for Mexico."

Sam nodded. "I noticed there was something off between you two. And. . . ."

"And we are working on it. We both realized that together we're great, apart we're miserable but at some point, I want a life and all that comes with that. Is that too much to ask or want?"

"What does Kensi want?"

"That's the thing. I thought she wanted the same thing but after her accident and then when Moseley sent me back to LAPD, it felt like her thoughts and desires got jumbled and I think she panicked. But then she dragged my sorry ass through the desert and . . "

Sam then interjected. "Much like you were there for her every step after her accident."

"Yeah that too. We realized that all that matters is that we are together and we are going to get married and whatever happens will happen and for now that is enough."

Callen had been watching the exchange silently. As far as relationships went, he definitely wasn't the one for Deeks to turn to for advice. None of his relationships ever seemed to work out. He took full blame for that though. He just never seemed to be able to take that final step forward with anyone. He envied both Sam and Deeks for being able to successfully move forward with the women that they loved. He only wished Sam and Michelle's life together hadn't been brutally cut short the way it had.

"So, there's no guarantee when or if Hetty is even going to be back," Callen said. "I need to make sure everyone's okay with that. I don't really know who they'll be bringing in to oversee us. I think we can all agree it won't be Mosley. I'd like to think they couldn't bring in anyone worse than her, but you never know." They hadn't had much luck regarding people brought in when Hetty was MIA.

He was distracted by the sudden appearance of Kensi as she entered the bar. Monty ran over to her, wagging his tail excitedly. Kensi bent down to pet him and then went to embrace Deeks, her eyes on an empty pizza box. "I really hope you saved some of that for me," she said to him teasingly.

"Kensalina you wound me. When have I ever left you hangry?" Deeks still had his arms around her. The past two years had been rough and yet, here they were - still together. "There are a couple of slices in the microwave in the kitchen." Kensi gave Deeks a quick kiss and went towards the kitchen, Monty following right behind her.

Deeks waited for Kensi to return before he asked Callen what was next. "I guess there's one more thing you three need to know," Callen said, looking at each of his friends in turn. "Admiral Kilbride asked if our team was capable of functioning without Hetty. There's a very real possibility that she won't be back. I told him that we were, but...you each need to make a decision on your own for what it is you want, especially if Hetty is unable to return."

Sam was silent for a long moment and then he nodded. "Hetty's not a young woman, G… I guess on some level we sort of knew something like this would be happening at some point. I'm good with our team continuing on, even if Hetty doesn't return. Of course, I still hope she can come back, but the important thing is the four of us know we can depend on each other. I trust this team with my life. That's all I need."

Callen nodded. He felt much the same as Sam. He turned to the junior members of the team with a questioning look.

Deeks took Kensi's hand. He knew when he woke up in the hospital that they were going to be staying in for now. But he was heartened by her promise to him to give him everything she had in this life. So with a kiss on her cheek and a nod from her in agreement, they both looked at Sam and Callen.

"We're in!"


End file.
